Thimble



RUBY LUSE (NOW BY MARRIAGE RUBY LUSE CLAAR).

T HIMBLE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.23,1920- 1,405,928, Patented Feb. 7, 1922.

0 1* I a E2RQ F Y WITNESS: D T L I yjzwe/ WW UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

RUBY LUSE, (NOW BY MARRIAGEFRUBY LUSE CLAAR,) or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

THIMBLE.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RUBY Lusn, a citizen of the United States, and-a resident ofChicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Thimbles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description thereof, refer ence being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. I

This invention relates to improvements in thimbles for sewers for thrusting the needle through the material being sewed, and refers more particularly to novel type of thimble which is designed to relieve the thimble finger of strains and consequent soreness due to the use of known thimbles which are adapted to be fitted over the end of the thimble finger.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide a simple, novel and eificient thimble construction whereby the pressure necessary to thrust the needle through the material is transferred from the. end to the base of the finger, at which latter point the finger is more capable of withstanding the work inasmuch as it avoids the lever action due to pressing the needle from a thimble that is fitted to the end of the finger and thereby prevents the finger from becoming strained and sore.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a thimble construction of this character wherein the thimble need not be removed from the finger when it is desired to use the hand for other purposes, thereby avoiding the likelihood of losing the thimble when not in use.

A thimble embodying my invention embraces a ring or band which is made of a size to comfortably fitthe base of the thimble finger, and a thimble element which is fixedly attached to the ring or band, and of a size and form to afford ample surface for contact of the needle with the thimble- In the use of a thimble embodying my invention, the ring member is placed upon the thimble finger in the manner of an ordinary ring with the thimble member on the inner side of the finger so that in using the thimble, the thimble member is at the base of the finger and pressure applied to thrust or force the needle through the material being sewed will be brought upon the base of the finger Spceification of Letters Patent. Patentfed F b 7 1922 Application filed August 23, 1920.

Serial No. 405,368.

and the palm of the hand at the finger base, so that the force to thrust the needle through the material will be substantially effected by the hand inside of the finger as distinguished from the use of known thimbles.

The thimble member attached to the ring or band is preferably made of a general concave formation with the convex face of the member facing and attached to the ring or band, and with the concave surface of the thimble member facing inwardly from the thimble finger. Said concave face of the thimble member will be of closely spaced depressed formation to receive the end of the needle as in thimble construction heretofore employed. The said band or ring and the thimble member may, if desired, be made of a one piece or integral structure, or the thimble piece'may be made separately and attached to the outer periphery of the band or ring in any suitable manner as by soldering or brazing.

I have shown in the drawings one embodiment of my invention, but it will be understood that its structure and formation may be varied within the spirit of the claims hereto appended, and that the invention is not llmited to the illustrated construction except as to claims wherein such illustrated construction is specifically set forth and as imposed by the prior art.

. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the inner side of the human hand showing the manner of using my novel, improved thimble thereon.

Figure 2 is an inner face view of the ring thimble alone.

Figure 3 is an end view thereof.

Figure 4 is a section of the ring member or band on the line a-r of Figure 3.

As shown in the drawings, 10 designates the ring or band member of the device and 11 designates the thimble member thereof. T he said ring or band member is preferably made of substantial thickness or gauge, and preferably also the outer periphery thereof is transversely flattened to correspond with the inner surface of the ring so as to afford ample space for the attachment of the thimble member thereto. Preferably, and as herein shown, the end edges of the ring or band member are curved as indicated at 12 (Fig. 4), so as to prevent the ring or band member pinching or cutting into the flesh of the thimble finger.

The thimble member 11, as herein shown, is made of conveX-concavo formation with the convex side thereof facing toward the ring member, and with the concave side facing inwardly. Said ring member may be made of. stamped metal of the proper gauge to give ruggedness thereto, when the parts are separately made and the thimble member attached to the ring. The inner concaveface of the ring will preferably be provided with the usual indentationsl l to afford the proper engagement of the eye end of theneedle with the thimble member, and which will prevent the needle from slipping with respect to the thimble member regard less of the angle in which the needle is being forced or pushed through the material being sewed. The said thimble member will preferably be made with arolled edge to give finish thereto and to prevent its cutting the hand or fingers of the user.

When the thimble member is made a part separate from the ring orband, it will be attached centrally to the band member in any suitable mannerthat will produce a rugged construction that will prevent the thimble member moving or twisting on the ring or band member. As herein shown, said thimble member-is brazed or soldered to the ring member as indicated at 1.6, and in order to afford a substantial base to the thimble member the solder or welding material may be extended outwardly a distancealong the convex side of the thimble member, and extended a suflicient distance along the band, both transversely and circumferentially to afford a solid setting of the thimble member on the ring member. I While the thimble member may be mad an integral part of the ring member, it has not been deemed necessary to illustrate such a modification, it being understood that the fillet connection between the thimble and ring members will be of a nature to afi'ord a strong attachment of the two members of the device.

The advantage of the ring thimble thus far described will be apparent, it being seen that the thrust necessary to carry the needle through the material will be at a point on the finger and hand which will not cause the thimble finger to become strained. It is furthermore obvious that by reason of the fact that the indented or rough needle engaging face of the thimble member is on the concave inner face thereof, there will be no danger or likelihood of the needle slipping from engagement with thisconcave face should the eye end of the needle not fully engage an indentation and should. slip it will slip entirely free from the thimble and strike the hand of the user. 7

Another advantage of the ring thimble shown and described is that when'there is temporarilyno' use for the thimble, the ring may be turned on the finger so as to bring the thimble member on the outer side of the finger; and the size of the thimble member is such that this position will not be objectionable when handling the material being sewed or using the hands for other purposes. Thus there is avoided the liability of losing the thimble such as occurs when the thimbleis laid at one side when not-in use. Moreover, it often occurs in the use of thimble fitted to the end of the finger, the thimble may be so loose as to become accidentally dislodged and lost from the finger, whereas with the use of the present device such accident will not occur.

While I have shown and have herein claimed an inwardly concave facedthimble member, it will be understood that the thimblc member may take other forms within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A thimble device comprising a ring member of a diameter to fit the base of the thimble finger and provided with a fixed thimble member disposed transversely to the plane of the ring member and laterally therebeyond to adapt it to overlie the palm of the hand at base of the thimble finger, said thimble being convexly rounded in its part that overlies and engages the palm.

2. Athimble device comprising a ring member of adiameter to fit the base of the thimble finger and provided with a rigidly fixed, outwardly concave, interiorly indented inwardly convex thimble'member of a di mension to adapt it to extend. beyond the ring member over the palm of the hand and the base of the thimble finger, and with its convex inner side. adapted to fit upon the palm and base of the thimble finger.

In witness whereof I claim the foregoing as my invention, I hereunto append my signature this eighteenth day .of August, 1920.

RUBY. LUSE. 

